1. Field of Endeavor
The present invention relates to armor and more particularly to embedded monolith armor.
2. State of Technology
Humans throughout recorded history have used various types of materials as body armor to protect themselves from injury in combat and other dangerous situations. The first protective clothing and shields were made from animal skins. As civilizations became more advanced, wooden shields and then metal shields came into use. Eventually, metal was also used as body armor, what we now refer to as the suit of armor associated with the knights of the Middle Ages. However, with the invention of firearms around 1500, metal body armor became ineffective.
United States Patent and Trademark Office records dating back to 1919 lists various designs of bullet proof vests and body armor type garments. One of the first documented instances where such a garment was demonstrated for use by law enforcement officers was detailed in the Apr. 2, 1931 edition of the Washington, D.C., Evening Star, where a bullet proof vest was demonstrated to members of the Metropolitan Police Department.
The next generation of anti-ballistic bullet proof vest was the World War II “flak jacket” made from ballistic nylon. The flak jacket provided protection primarily from ammunitions fragments and was ineffective against most pistol and rifle threats. Flak jackets were also very cumbersome and bulky.
It would not be until the late 1960s that new fibers were discovered that made today's modern generation of cancelable body armor possible. The National Institute of Justice or NIJ initiated a research program to investigate development of a lightweight body armor that on-duty policemen could wear full time. The investigation readily identified new materials that could be woven into a lightweight fabric with excellent ballistic resistant properties. Performance standards were set that defined ballistic resistant requirements for police body armor.